Governing Council

Suzanne Blanchard

Governing Council Chair

As Carleton University’s Vice President, Students and Enrolment, Suzanne Blanchard is focused on each student’s experience – from their initial application to graduation, and even beyond to future employment. And she believes that an exceptional student experience includes accessibility.

Suzanne has worked in the field of post-secondary education since the late 1980s including roles at the Ministry of Colleges and Universities and La Cité collégiale. She has been at Carleton for more than 20 years, initially as Director, Admission Services, then as the University Registrar and Associate Vice President (Students and Enrolment). She established Carleton’s award-winning Student Mental Health Framework. Suzanne graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Commerce.

Suzanne has always been an advocate for students, including her own child who has a learning disability: “I bring that lens to my work every day. I try to look at things from the student’s point of view. In particular, I want to explore how we can continually change the focus to support those with disabilities and accessibility issues.”

As CAN’s appointed Governing Council Chair, Suzanne sees the momentum growing. “In 2012, Carleton’s READ Initiative was launched. Two years later, we hosted the International Summit on Accessibility, looking beyond our own institution’s accessibility strategy and bringing partners together,” she explains. “The David C. Onley Initiative followed and now Carleton is taking the next step, serving as the hub for CAN. The Network has great potential, with many stakeholders who are committed to making a difference.”

Suzanne’s motto: Take a step back and look at situations from another individual’s perspective. Seek to understand where they are coming from and how they would want to be treated.

Tony Labillois

Chair, Advisory Council

Tony Labillois was born with low vision and is legally blind – but that hasn’t slowed him down. He has rafted with his work crew, driven a dogsled with his daughter as a passenger, tried a bobsled in Lake Placid, and practiced water skiing on one ski. “My disability has forged my character and pushed me to surpass myself and continually find creative and effective ways to live life to the fullest, pursue a successful career, and give back to others what I have received and learned,” he says.

Tony has spent his entire career at Statistics Canada, rising through the ranks over the past 30 years to become a Director General. In 2002, he added a new line to his job description: champion for people with disabilities. The goal is full participation, supporting each person and benefiting from their contribution and productivity. Tony’s expanded role has allowed him to acquire vast knowledge about disability, needs, perceived or real obstacles, effective accommodations, the many facets of accessibility, mechanisms, and solutions. In 2012, he was awarded the Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, recognizing his leadership in promoting diversity at Statistics Canada.

Tony is CAN’s Governing Council Vice-Chair and Chair of the Advisory Council. “To start, I want to listen and establish a climate of truth and trust. I’m hoping the Network will have a snowball effect as other organizations want to join us and be part of the action. Together, we can positively impact policies and cultural change related to accessibility and inclusion for everyone.”

Tony’s motto: If you see a door that is a little bit open, go through it.

Stephanie Austin

Member-at-Large, Governing Council

Stephanie Austin believes in making space at the table. In fact, she says it’s her life purpose. While completing her undergraduate degree, Stephanie spent some time in Guyana volunteering with Youth Challenge International working side-by-side with youth from local villages and around the world. It was the first time she realized she could be an ally for those that might need additional support. She came back to Canada and co-created Girls Action Foundation, a not-for-profit organization to empower girls and young women. It is still going strong 25 years later.

Since then, Stephanie’s passion for social innovation, justice and change has been fueled by her work in advancing public policy. Opportunities at Health Canada, Status of Women Canada, and the Youth Secretariat in the Privy Council Office have led her to her most recent position with the Office of Public Service Accessibility in the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. She leads a dynamic team of employees with lived experience of disability. They have co-developed Nothing Without Us: An Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada – a national strategy that is now guiding federal departments and agencies as they begin to dismantle systemic barriers.

“It’s been an exciting and inspiring journey,” she says. “I thrive on initiatives that create inclusive, diverse, and brave spaces where we work together to make a tangible difference. CAN is a logical next step. It will bring stakeholders from across sectors together to create a more united voice for accessibility and disability inclusion in Canada.”

Stephanie’s motto:
Who I am is in love with the life and the lives around me
Fulfilling projects to enhance community
Touched by and touching others
Growing and learning from others

Rafik Goubran

Member-at-Large, Governing Council

Rafik Goubran knows that somewhat simple engineering solutions can have a big impact on people’s well-being. He is a leading researcher in sensors and data analytics related to the design of smart homes for independent living. He also studies ambient-based patient monitoring, pressure-sensitive mats, vital sign monitoring and microphone arrays. In short, he is helping to create environments that support an aging population. The learnings can support people with disabilities as well.

Rafik was appointed Vice-President (Research and International) at Carleton University in July 2017. Prior to this, he served as the dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Design for more than a decade. He has supervised more than 95 graduate students. And since 2004, he has co-authored 10 patents, 50 refereed journal papers, and 200 conference papers. Rafik completed a Bachelor of Science in electronics and communications engineering, and a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering at Cairo University in Egypt. He earned his Ph.D. at Carleton.

At the heart of his work is collaboration. “We need to take time to understand the problem. We need the right people in the room, including researchers from multiple disciplines, partners, and, most importantly, those with lived experience to advise and test the systems. This kind of synergy is more than the sum of its parts.”

Rafik’s motto: Make a difference for others – and for society.

Deidre Guy

Member-at-Large, Governing Council

Deidre Guy experienced severe trauma as a child, leading to a recent diagnosis of PTSD. “It was a huge blocker for me, but it also taught me a lot,” she explains. “I never shared the details until fairly recently.” Deidre says moving forward and talking about her disability resulted in two new opportunities – and a new passion for diversity and accessibility.

For the past five years, she has served as Chief Operations Officer at Adaptability Canada, a national provider of accessible construction solutions to public private and non-for-profit organizations. In 2017, she founded the Inclusive Workplace and Supply Council of Canada. The Council advances access and opportunity for businesses owned by Veterans and persons with disabilities. It also works with corporate partners to increase the inclusivity of workplaces and procurement processes.

Deidre says her work focuses on reducing the stigma and creating a welcoming environment. She wants to bring the same approach to her role as a Member-at-Large on CAN’s Governing Council. “The Network is spot-on. We need to get out of our silos and work together toward a common goal. And as we learn, it’s OK if that common goal changes a little. It’s about a willingness to listen, accept, and allow – to ensure everyone’s voice is heard.”

Deidre’s motto: Where is the lesson?

Mae Johnson

Member-at-Large, Governing Council

As a young girl, Mae Johnson was inspired by her family, especially those with profound, hereditary hearing loss and her uncle who had debilitating arthritis. Learning how they faced their challenges helped her when she began to lose her hearing as well as a young adult. “I was lucky enough to have role models and mentors who always looked for practical solutions as they pursued their families, careers and lifestyles that were meaningful for them,” she says.

Mae is the Director of the Office of Drug Policy and Science at Health Canada. With over 20 years of experience at Health Canada, National Defence, and the Public Health Agency of Canada, she has significant expertise in policy, planning and reporting, stakeholder engagement, and change management. She has a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Manitoba and a Master of Arts in Political Science from Carleton University.  Mae also earned a European Studies Diploma from the University of Antwerp, Belgium.

Having searched for tools and supports to enable her to continue working, Mae realized there were others who struggled to find the supports they needed. This led her to get involved with the Persons with Disabilities Networks at the Public Health Agency and at Health Canada. As Chair of the Health Canada Persons with Disabilities Network since 2018, Mae has advanced initiatives that support an inclusive, diverse, and healthy workplace, like building partnerships between employees with disabilities and corporate services. “There is real momentum in the federal public service now that we need to leverage, so that employees with disabilities have a voice in identifying solutions. It’s encouraging, but we know there is a lot more to be done.”

Mae sees the new Network as an opportunity for dynamic cross-linkages between the public service and broader national agendas. “I expect there will be a lot of cross-fertilization that will be very helpful.”

Mae’s motto: Create opportunity.

Robin Syme

Member-at-Large, Governing Council

Robin Syme firmly believes that everyone is on the spectrum of ability and that we move along the continuum throughout our lives. This helps us better understand one another. It builds empathy and an appreciation for the fact that we are more the same than we are different. She believes CAN will only enhance that.

Robin has a history of working on government policy, programs, and service delivery for children, families, and vulnerable adults in the health and social sectors. She is currently the Executive Director of CanAssist, an organization dedicated to helping people living with cognitive and physical challenges improve their quality of life through the development of innovative technologies and other program offerings. CanAssist is located at the University of Victoria. Prior to coming to CanAssist, Robin held senior social policy positions with the provincial government, including as Assistant Deputy Minister with the Ministry of Children and Family Development. She was responsible for community-based health and social services portfolios. She has two degrees from the University of Victoria.

Robin says she is excited about the common ground that CAN will discover. “We know there is a lot of good work going on around the country, but we don’t necessarily know about each other. CAN will help build relationships and trust. We are stronger together.”

Robin’s motto: We’ll figure it out. (Be solutions oriented. Don’t get stuck on the problem.)

Boris Vukovic

CAN National Office, Director

Boris Vukovic arrived in Canada in 1995 as a 21-year-old refugee from Bosnia. Living through the war has shaped his thinking and his career path. “For me, it was personally relevant. My experience highlighted the need to recognize and support people facing barriers, whatever the circumstances.”

Boris started at Carleton University as a student 24 years ago and soon after began work to support the success of students with disabilities through leadership, direct student services, faculty development, applied research, and professional standards. In his role as Director of the READ Initiative, Boris is committed to helping position Carleton as a national leader in accessibility. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Carleton, a Master of Education in Counselling from the University of Ottawa, and a Ph.D. in Learning Sciences from McGill University.

Boris worked with a small group of colleagues to develop the idea for CAN. He says the concept came out of Carleton’s culture of accessibility and the desire to collaborate with the various accessibility stakeholders across disciplines and sectors. “The Network is what we need to come together to advance accessibility as a complex societal paradigm,” he explains. “To be successful, CAN as a community must develop its own identity with a mindset focused on action and impact.”

Boris’s motto: Respect life above all, but never take it too seriously.

Amber Knabl

Co-Lead, Research, Education & Design Community of Practice 

Amber Knabl is a CPACC certified Accessibility Strategist currently working for Fable, a CAN Collaborator, based out of Toronto, Canada. With an educational background in UX Design as well as Inclusive Design for Digital Media, Amber combines these practical skills along with a deep understanding of various assistive technologies to coach colleagues and customers alike on how to include people with disabilities in product development. 

As one of the first employees at Fable, Amber has built and facilitated workshops for teams of 100+, as well as conducted 1:1 coaching sessions for organization like Slack and Shopify. Amber is most passionate about helping people shift their thinking when it comes to accessibility – beyond checklists and into creating delightful experiences for everyone. 

Bianca Go

Co-Lead, Employment Community of Practice

Bianca is a certified Project Manager Practitioner (PMP) with previous experience in the insurance and fintech industries. She’s recently pivoted her learning and focus towards inclusion, diversity and accessibility with a particular passion for the inclusion and employment for the neurodiverse community. In addition to being Co-Lead on the Employment Community of Practice, Bianca is also an active member of the Business Advisory Council for Project SEARCH Toronto, a school-to-work transition program from youth who have developmental or intellectual disabilities.  

Claire Davies

Co-Lead, Research, Education & Design Community of Practice

Claire has dedicated her research career to improving the lives of people with disabilities. Her research at the Building and Designing Assistive Technology (BDAT) Lab is diverse covering three main areas: biomaterials, motion analysis, and assistive technology with the primary research goal of increasing independence of people with disabilities. Claire is currently an assistant professor in Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Queen University with an honorary senior lecturer appointment in the Departments of Surgery and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Auckland.       

Katja Newman

Member-at-Large, Governing Council

Katja Newman is the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) Student Awards Scholarship Program Manager. She is completing an online Masters in Grant Writing and Program Evaluation from Concordia University Chicago. Prior to her Masters, Katja received a Bachelor’s of Social Work from Carleton University and a Child & Youth Work Diploma from Georgian College. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys educating audiences on the accessibility and inclusion related highs and lows that come with living life as a blind post-secondary student who navigates the world with the help of a guide dog. Katja provides the Governing Council with a unique, student perspective of accessibility and inclusion. 

Lucille Berlinguette-Saumure

Lead, Policy Community of Practice

Maureen Haan

Member-at-Large, Governing Council

Maureen has been very active in the cross-disability sector, currently focusing on employment issues. She has been involved with numerous committees and groups that increase awareness of the access to the disability sector and the Deaf community, including involvement with Civil Society on the UN Convention of Rights for Persons with Disabilities (CRPS) as the lead for employment for persons with disabilities. Maureen was appointed to the COVID-19 Disability Advisory Group (CDAG) during the COVID-19 pandemic and remains on the Minister Disability Advisory Group (MDAG). Maureen became involved with CAN because she recognized the importance of having community at the table when creating networks. 

Maureen Wideman

Co-Lead, Education & Training Community of Practice

Maureen has just completed her term as Associate Vice President, Teaching and Learning at the University of the Fraser Valley. She has been at UFV for nine years leading the university from a traditional face-to-face learning environment to one that embraces the use of effective digital pedagogy, resources and technology-enhanced learning spaces. She used to be an AODA Coordinator and Manager of Disability Services at her previous institution in Ontario. She has just begun a year-long sabbatical, during which she will be conducting an audit and writing a report about accessibility at UFV. 

Pina D’Intino

Co-Lead, Education & Training Community of Practice

Pina is a sought-out consultant and speaker that actively promotes accessibility and inclusion from both an executive and grassroots perspective. She has more than 29 years of experience in a large global financial institution, and for the last 15 years has pioneered and founded a cross-institutional hub for accessibility and inclusion. Pina also has extensive experience in developing and facilitating education and training opportunities. In 2013, Pina received the QE2 Diamond Jubilee medal by Canada’s Lt. Governor the Honourable David Onley for her work in accessible employment. Pina completed the Inclusive Design Program at OCADU and developed a course for Mohawk College on accessible organizational frameworks.

Richard Plummer

Co-Lead, Employment Community of Practice

Richard brings to CAN a comprehensive array of experiences and leadership skills in community development, social cause and health program delivery, human resources management and partnership building. He has worked as a senior leader and consultant with key non-profit and human services agencies. Specifically, Richard has experience implementing several national, provincial, and local diversity and inclusion initiatives with the YMCA/YWCA, McConnell Family Foundation, United Way, and the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association to address Employment & Community Engagement. He is committed to “building healthy people, vibrant and inclusive communities.”